Winter Minestrone Recipe

Introduction

Winter Minestrone is a hearty, comforting soup packed with seasonal vegetables and rich flavors. This vibrant dish combines butternut squash, Swiss chard, and beans to warm you up on chilly days.

Ingredients

• 1 large Vidalia onion, diced to 1/2″
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced to 1/2″
• 2 stalks celery, trimmed and diced to 1/2″
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small butternut squash (about 2 lb), peeled, seeded, and diced to 1/2″
• 2 medium leeks, diced
• 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 parmesan cheese rind
• 6 cups chicken bone broth (substitute vegetable broth for vegetarian)
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and chopped to 1″ pieces
• 2 cups cooked white beans (or one 14-oz can)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Butter for sautéing

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat a dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter and heat until it foams. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 7-8 minutes.
2. Step 2: Add the minced garlic and sauté continuously until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Step 3: Add the diced butternut squash, leeks, crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, fresh thyme, sea salt, cracked black pepper, parmesan rind, and broth to the pot. Stir to combine.
4. Step 4: Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the squash is tender, about 35-40 minutes.
5. Step 5: While the soup simmers, prepare the Swiss chard by stemming and chopping, and chop the parsley.
6. Step 6: Add the Swiss chard and white beans to the pot, stir well, and continue simmering until the chard is tender, about 5-7 minutes.
7. Step 7: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
8. Step 8: Remove the bay leaf and sprigs of thyme from the soup. Stir in the lemon juice and chopped parsley.
9. Step 9: Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with about a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Tips & Variations

• Use vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian or vegan, and omit parmesan cheese or substitute with a vegan alternative.
• Adding cooked pasta or grains like small shells or barley can make the soup even heartier.
• For extra depth, sauté the garlic with a pinch of red pepper flakes for a mild heat.
• Fresh herbs like rosemary or oregano can be swapped in place of thyme for variation.

Storage

Store leftover minestrone in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. It also freezes well for up to three months. Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through. Adding fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil after reheating brightens the flavors.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use other types of beans in this soup?

Yes, you can substitute white beans with cannellini, navy, or great northern beans. Canned or cooked dried beans both work well.

Is there a way to make this soup quicker to prepare?

Using pre-cut vegetables or frozen squash can cut down prep time. Using canned beans and broth also speeds things up without compromising flavor.

Winter Minestrone Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 125 reviews

A hearty and nourishing Winter Minestrone soup packed with seasonal vegetables, white beans, and fresh herbs, simmered in rich chicken bone broth and finished with lemon juice and parmesan. Perfect for warming up chilly days.

• Author: Clara
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Vegetables

• 1 large vidalia onion (diced to 1/2″)
• 2 medium carrots (peeled and diced to 1/2″)
• 2 stalks celery (trimmed and diced to 1/2″)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 small butternut squash (about 2 lb) (peeled, seeded, and diced to 1/2″)
• 2 medium leeks (diced)
• 1 bunch swiss chard (stemmed and chopped to 1″ pieces)

Pantry and Herbs

• 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 parmesan cheese rind
• 2 c cooked white beans (or one 14-oz can)
• 1/2 bunch parsley (chopped)

Liquids & Oils

• 6 c chicken bone broth (substitute vegetable broth for vegetarian)
• 1 lemon (juiced)
• 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

Dairy

• 1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
• Butter (amount not specified, estimated 2 tbsp for sautéing)

Instructions

1. Sauté the base vegetables: Heat a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and heat until it foams. Add diced onions, carrots, and celery, sautéing occasionally until soft, about 7-8 minutes.
2. Add garlic: Stir in minced garlic and sauté continuously until fragrant, about 1 minute, being careful not to burn it.
3. Add main ingredients to pot: Add diced butternut squash, leeks, crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, sprig of fresh thyme, sea salt, cracked black pepper, parmesan cheese rind, and broth to the pot. Stir all ingredients well to combine.
4. Simmer the soup: Increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil. Then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the squash is tender, about 35-40 minutes.
5. Prepare greens and herbs: While the soup simmers, stem and chop the swiss chard and chop the parsley.
6. Add chard and white beans: Stir the swiss chard and cooked white beans into the pot. Continue simmering until the chard is tender, 5-7 minutes.
7. Season and adjust: Taste the soup and add additional salt and pepper as needed for seasoning.
8. Finish the soup: Remove the bay leaf and the fresh herb stems. Remove the pot from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley.
9. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle each with about a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

• Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make this recipe vegetarian.
• Adjust salt and pepper to taste towards the end to achieve desired seasoning.
• Leftover soup freezes well and can be kept for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
• Ensure to remove the parmesan rind and herb stems before serving to avoid tough textures.
• Butter amount for sautéing is estimated at about 2 tablespoons as it wasn’t specified.

Keywords: winter minestrone, minestrone soup, vegetable soup, italian soup, butternut squash soup, healthy soup, hearty soup, vegetarian minestrone